Crawford avalanche., 1887-01-06
'Jim Cummings" and Five Others
Arrested for the Great Express
Robbery Near st. Louis.
One Of the Most Brilliant Pieces
of Detective Work Ever
Recorded.
How the Various Olews Were Made
to Fit with Mathematical
Accuracy.
From the Chicago Daily Nows /,

with one Of the most valuable treasures carried
during the year, was robbed OF nearly $50 900 in
cash. Mr.. VIM. A. Pinkerton has given n
oetailed account OF the manner In which the
case was worked up by the detective agency OF
sno Msssern Hf YbiG9 The Ghdet
Tour have borne the reputation of being rep
utable business men.
The news OF the robbery had no sooner
reached st Louisiana hicago than Mr. L. g.
Weir. Manager of the Adams Express Compa-
ny, placed the matter in the hands of the Pin
kertons. The man who overpowerod Messene or
totheringham and rifled the car left the train
at racine Junction, small station thirty. six
miles from st Louis. Detectives were sent out
on the trains from that station, and
soon obtained description of th3 man.
The Pinkertons then secured list OF
the employees, past and present, of tho
express company. Among those who
had been discharged was W. W. Haieht, who
had formerly been on the run between frisco
junction and Vinitl, ON which the robbery had
been committed. IL was also learned that he
mad been acquainted with Fotheringham. 1t
was learned that he had resided in Chicago at
243 Huron street with his wifes aunt He had
changed his residence, however, but the de.
tectiVes nnally asceftained that he had lived
with family named Williams, at ~ Arbor
place, and that ON Oct. 27 he had left that
place saying he was going to Florida. A day
later his wife received n letter containing
money, and immediately afterward she pre-
pared to leave, reporting that she was going to
Leavenworth, where her aunt was dying
Among the men whom Haight had worked for
in Chicago were Fred Wittrock a coal dealer at
727 West Lake street. and Thomas Weaver. the
proprietor OF a laundry Mt No. 1853 on the same
street: From these facts the detectives de-
ftXed ftXed .i heir hrst ceg They leagped tlffe WITH
Of the month saying they were going to kan
sas to look for land and to hunt. They took
with them two sachels and two fowling- pieces
The description OF Wittrock tallied with that
OF tho description of the robber furnished by
Messenger Fotheringham. Weaver returned
to Chicago on October %.
In the meantime Fotheringham was making
m nil Of NUh fala hn dor 10 in
nocence. He said the robber, who had told him
his name was Jim Cummings" would exoner-
ate him. Then came the first of the celebrated
Jim Cummings" letters.
early last January" said Cummings In the
letter. Il started out with id poor partner
70 see il we couldn't make stake by holding
up an express car. My partner backed out, and
Iwent to Ohio, where met man named Tom
Raiffe, who had once beon an express messen-
ger on the run between st. Louis and Vinita. L
learned the name OF the route agent, John D.
Barrett, and conceived the plan OF counterfeit
ing the headings of the express company"
Cummings then went into the details and
told how the robbery was committed, taking
great care to shield Fotheringbam from any
blame. From this letter the detectives gathered
several clews They knew that Wittrock and
Haight were acquainted that Haight had been
a messenger on the run mentioned and that no
such man as Tom Raiffe had ever worked for
es6 Gag Ae d @ TScs n G bad
made out in his coal business aud forwarded
them to st. Louis. Experts decided that the
leIJefS ana the coal D1lI9
written by the same man. The only difference
was that the bills were made out in a flowing
hand, while the letter was in backhand.
In letter Cummings had told about skiff
which would be found up the Missouri river
n few miles from st. Charles He also told of n
package which he had left in the express Office
withthe intention Of showing that Fotheringham
had no connection with the robbery. The de-
tectives found the skif as described, fully pro-
visioned as II for fishing trip. They also OBJ
tanned good descriptions of the men who had
bought the akiH Mt ~ (harlaa ct IA O,,a -
the persons was described in n manner to CORE
spond with the alleged robber, according to
Fotheringhams story, andsalso to.suggest Witt
rock to the minds Of those who knew him in Chit
cago. The description Of the smaller man tai
lied with that of Weaver. The most important
elew was the fact that two guns were found
in the skin. When the reports OF the detectives
reached headquarters in Chicago it was re-
membered that Weaver and Wittrock left ON the
18th, each carrying gun. Weaver from this
on was shadowed, but trace could be OBJ
tanned OF Wittrock. The package left in the
express office and mentioned in Cummings let
ter was found to consist of several rolls Of cheap
tEesshnsafr Il fer
at that address in st. Louis revealed that two
men had rented a room there ON the 18th. Each
carried valiso. The house was kept by Mrs.
Berry, and she. her son, and her daughter gave
descriptions which closely corresponded to
those in the possession of the Pinkertons
few days later the detectives visited Mrs.
Berry. She rewarded them by turning over a
lead seal of tho Adams Express Company, and
room occupied by the strangers The smaller
man left on the 2lst Weaver returned to Chi
cago on the 22d. While Mt Mrs. BeTry's the
large man received mail addressed to MIR Will
lams" On the 25th the night of the robbery
this man left Mrs Borry's, saying he was going
to Kansas City. 1t was away into the latter
part OF November when tho detectives had
progressed thus far in their search for the rob-
bers.
The antecedents OF Wittrock were ascertained.
His mother lived in Leavenworth, and the fam
" ho1
loaned him 81, 100 with which to 60 into bust
ness in Chicago. Haight's family consisted
Of wife and one child. He bad located in
Nashville, Tenn, whore he was conducting
business as a roofing contractor. Mr. Berry
and his sister were brought to Chicago, and
identified Weaver as the man who had stopped
at their house in st. Louis in company with the
tall man. 1t was decided to let Weaver alone
and wait for Wittrock To show up.
During the work IL was developed that ono
Oscar Cook, OF Kansas City, but formerly OF
Leavenworth, had been q chum of Wittrock
An operative sent to shadow him reported that
he had suddenly grown wealthy, and made frc-
quent trips ont Of the city, although Le was
working at his trade of cooper. It was also
noted that the "Jim Cummings" letters were al-
ways mailed from places at which Cook had
been, and ON the days he had been there.
The lines were now growing closer, and the
work centered ON Chicago. Wittrock's house,
10 Lincoln street, had heen shadowod for almost
n month when, last Tuesday night, the
Pinkerton man was astonished TO SEQ another
shadow appear and parade up and down before
the house several times. few minutes later
q tall man Slipped along the street and lodged
into the house In the meantime Ed Kinney.
n brother-in-law Of Wittrock. left for
Quincy, I'LL, closely attended by n Pinker-
ton ngent. There he went ON drunk,
and on Wednesday he received two telo-
grams which greatly excited him. He went in
to a billiard hall, and hanging his coat ON nail
began playing billiards While he was drink
ing at the bar the Pinkerton man alp
ped the telegrams from his pocket and read
them. They were as follows
"Come home at once. Il. Is here"
@Come home ut once. Fred has returned"
Both were signed Rose Wittrock' Thursday
night Robert and William Pinkerton rented a
room near Wittrocks house. In order 10 divert
suspicion William represented himself as a
proof-reader ON the morning edition of the
DailU NetOs, whilo Robert was employed in n
similar capacity ON the afternoon edition of
the Daily NetCs. Thus they explained why one
was always leaving when the other was just ar
irving. A close watch was kept on the house,
and at am. Friday It was feared that the big
man (Wittrookl had slipped away, Robert and
his assistants came on duty Ct o'clock. At o
went to Wittrock's house. A few moments
later he appeared with Weaver, and, after Civ
ing a signal, started down the street. Ten min
utes later the big man, who was none other
than Wittrock came out. Robert Pinkerton
Bignaled his detectives that he recognized him
and that the men were to be arrested at once
Kinney and Wittrock went into Sparboro Bros.
saloon, near Madison and Lincoln streets,
Weaver having turned back. The next mo-
ment Kinney also stepped down tho street.
Mr.. Pinkerton and his detectives entered the
a-lL -